Fika with... stina

[Fee:ka]A coffee break. Usually with something sweet. Definitely with friends (old and new).

Stina’s apartment is in Malmö in southern Sweden. It’s a city that’s bursting with creative companies, ad agencies, film production firms. And it’s this creativity that attracted Stina. That and skating. Stina loves to skateboard and the flat streets of Malmö are perfect.

Her home is a like a mirror of her creative character and it’s easy to see her artistic flare isn’t just part of her job. Her apartment is colourful, the walls are dotted with graphic art and photographs and the various table and shelf displays are well styled. It looks as though it’s been planned, but Stina assures us, it hasn’t. It has all come together organically.

“I’ve bought things one at a time and mostly while travelling.” Travelling, that’s another of Stina’s passions (and biggest inspirations). She has travelled all over the world, but her favourite places are Brazil, Taiwan and London – “I love a good pub lunch” say’s Stina.

“My home is a mix of designer hand-me-downs, IKEA PS furniture and super cheap vintage stuff.”

Stina

And all these things have a tale to tell. “I love vintage stuff because it comes with a story. This history makes it really cool.” But Stina loves IKEA PS furniture, from both recent and older collections, for the same reason.
“I love the whole idea about IKEA PS. It’s something out of the ordinary. I love the design. And although it’s new, the products still have a story.”

Travelling is another of Stina’s passions (and biggest inspirations). She has travelled all over the world, but her favourite places are Brazil, Taiwan and London. “I love a good pub lunch,” she says. And when Stina’s away she can’t resist picking something up. “I always buy something when I’m travelling. I love to keep little reminders of my trips all around my home.”

When she’s at home, Stina definitely spends time making her apartment her own. “I’m really proud of the set-up I’ve made with this second-hand sofa, those (she points) IKEA RIBBA picture shelves and vintage posters and pictures. There’s even a picture of my dad as a baby. When I mix old and new I like to blend in personal stuff too.”

Stina has totally nailed this mixing of old and new, vintage and modern. There’s the vintage chest of drawers and desk mixed with her new (and very comfy) modern red sofa in her living room. The accents, or ‘pops’ as Stina calls them, of second-hand cushions, the kitschy table display - who would’ve thought a leopard, vintage glassware and a plastic flower floating in a water-filled glass ball would work? - and the vintage wall map tie the room together.

Our tips for mixing vintage with modern

When function’s important, go modern
Thanks to new design methods and materials, modern furniture is generally more comfortable and functional than older things. But complement a modern lamp or chair for example, with a vintage desk or table.

Create displays with odd numbers
Make your favourite items stand out by grouping things together using odd numbers. Just one piece in the group should be either old or new. So, two old and one new. Or, four new and one old.

Use colour to tie it all together
You can bridge the furniture generation gap with colour. Stina has gone for red, but you can choose any colour you like, so long as you’re consistent. Textiles are an easy (and cost-conscious) way of connecting dissimilar items of furniture.

“I don’t want my home to look like a museum. I like variety. Things wouldn’t ‘pop’ as much if they were all old or all new.”

So, is it just about having a good ‘eye’ or a strong sense of style? Or is it about being true to yourself, buying what you like and making your home your own? “I say: if you like something just buy it. Otherwise, you’ll regret it later.” And that pretty much sums up Stina. “Carpe diem!” she says.